This mission of the Church includes encouraging us all to do “good works” in service of others. Our involvement in service projects; participation in church activities and ministries; and, donating to charitable causes is good, necessary and pleasing to God. However, these actions alone do not encompass true discipleship.

Pope Francis called on Catholics around the world to use the ongoing Jubilee Year of Mercy to “open wide” the doors of their hearts, to love, to forgive and to share unbounded generosity! In his Announcement of the Year of Mercy, the pope emphasized that we are called as individuals and as a Church “to be a witness of mercy”. So, the next obvious question is… what does “a witness of mercy” look like? We can simply look toward the Church’s teaching on the Spiritual and Corporal works of mercy as our guide:

Pope Francis called on Catholics around the world to use the ongoing Jubilee Year of Mercy to “open wide” the doors of their hearts, to love, to forgive and to share unbounded generosity! In his Announcement of the Year of Mercy, the pope emphasized that we are called as individuals and as a Church “to be a witness of mercy”. So, the next obvious question is… what does “a witness of mercy” look like? We can simply look toward the Church’s teaching on the Spiritual and Corporal works of mercy as our guide:

As baptized members of the Church, that is the body of Christ, we are called to live lives different from others in the world, to be a people “set apart”. In Hebrew, holiness literally means “to be set apart.” So, our call to holiness means we are called to live according to our identity as members of Christ’s Church, following Christian laws and modeling Christian ideals. The Greek word Ecclesia, which today we use to refer to the Church, translates literally as “to be called out of”. What we literally are “being called out of” is the world and all worldly things: sin, greed, lust, hatred, anger, un-forgiveness, untruths, adultery, attachments and fixations. It is Jesus himself who taught us exactly how to do this, and it is He who calls us still today!

We are so happy and blessed to have each of you join us for this celebration marking one of the holiest days of the year and, arguably, the most impactful event in human history – the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!

Throughout history, man has searched for God in countless ways, in varied lands and through numerous religions. Christmas is about a different search - God’s search for man. And, through the birth of His son Jesus Christ, God has found us! Saint Augustine documented how he searched for God for years and years before finally realizing that he had to open up his heart and allow God to find him. He wrote “My heart was restless until it rested in you my Lord!”

For me, Christmas invokes memories of family, wonder, beauty, good food, and love. My hope is that you and your family are filled with God’s blessings; that you can lift up your prayers and praises with us; that you can know the God who loves us all so much that he became one with us! I pray that we may all be touched by Christ's love this day and always.